Our Heavenly Father

As I began to read the next few verses in the twelfth chapter of Hebrews, I became a little frightened.  I envisioned a child who had done something terrible and because he knew the rules that his father had set for their home, he was afraid to go home and tell his father.  Much like the children of Israel who viewed God more as distant and threatening.  Strict and an enforcer.  And then as I read a little more I came to a description of the God that we, as believers, have come to know and love, the one who thru Christ Jesus we now can go to for anything.  We can confess all our wrong doing.  We can go to him when we are scared or afraid.  We don't have to be afraid to touch him. In fact, he tells us to hold firmly to him.  We are told to come boldly to the the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)  What a strong contrast!

Take a moment and read Hebrews 12:18-24.  Thank God for the new covenant. The one in which we are no longer condemned under the law but saved by grace.  It is nothing we do or can even earn.  And because we have accepted him, we now have Jesus as our mediator.  Such an awesome thing!   We no longer have to be the child who dreaded going to his father to tell him anything.  We actually have a relationship with our Heavenly Father.  One that grows and grows as we spend more time with him.  Another important thing.  As you spend more time with him, you become more comfortable with him.  You come to learn his mind and you grow to understand that he only wants what's best for you.  I recall the time I messed up when I became pregnant with my son.  The last person in the world I wanted to tell was my father.  I'll never forget the day that I told him. (You see he, too, was a recipient of God's grace)  And just like the grace that he himself had received, he accepted me with open arms of love and forgiveness.  God does not want us to live in fear when it comes to approaching him.  He wants us to bring everything to him.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  You see, as Christians we are justified, meaning just as if we had never sinned.  Justification is instantaneous.  The part we have to come to terms with is the sanctification process which is not done by God alone. We play a part in that process.  Sanctification comes by God thru the work of the Holy Spirit in accordance with the Word.  That is why we must continue to grow our relationship with God and not be afraid to go to him with everything.  After all, he is the only one who can meet our every need. 

Earlier I told you of the story of my father and when I told him I was pregnant with my son.  What I didn't tell you was that he already knew.  Just like our Heavenly Father who is Omniscient.  That means All-Knowing.  My father made it a point to know my business, after all I was his daughter.  He was just waiting for me to tell him so he could relieve me of the burden I was carrying worrying about his reaction.  He knew that I needed to concentrate all my energy to the task at hand, preparing to be a mother.  Just like our Heavenly Father wants us to turn everything over to him so that we are free to go about spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.  Living a life free to serve our  purpose.  For those he predestined, them he also called. And whom He called them He also justified and those He justified, them He also glorified.  (Romans 8:30)  You see, I didn't tell you the last piece of the puzzle.  There's justification and then sanctification.  But all this is done so we can get to the glorification.  There's a song that says, 'When we gone get to the good part, the good part?"  The good part is the glorification.  That time that Paul describes as, when the trumpet sounds, and the dead in Christ shall rise and we will be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. (I Corinthians 15: 51-52)  That's the part I'm looking forward to.  What about you?

Dear Lord,

Today I just want to thank you!  Thank you for your Son, Jesus, who died on the cross for my sins.  He did this so I would no longer have to be afraid to come to you with everything.  I thank you because I'm now justified. It wasn't because of anything I did but because you loved me.  I'm working on this whole sanctification thing.  But what I'm looking forward to is the glorification, the day when I'll get to see you face to face.  What a glorious day that will be.  All praise, honor and glory be to you. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.